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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26016211">He actually is into you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/alldaydream/pseuds/alldaydream'>alldaydream</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Schitt's Creek</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU Timeline, Alternate Timeline, Canon Divergence, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Stevie is a troll, but also a good friend, passive flirtation, they're both stupid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:35:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,322</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26016211</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/alldaydream/pseuds/alldaydream</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>David and Patrick don't realize that they've have been dancing around each other for 5 months and Stevie is tired of waiting. </p><p>aka when trying to be smooth and subtle with your flirting isn't as effective as being blunt about it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Patrick Brewer/David Rose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>225</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>He actually is into you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>To the anon who said they loved passive flirtation fics, this one's for you. </p><p>All mistakes are my own!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">“Hey, can you hold the ladder for me while I dust the top shelf?” Patrick asks, sticking his head through the curtain to the backroom. David is in mid-bite of his sandwich, absolutely ravenous after a tour bus of customers came into the store during the afternoon rush and he wants nothing more than to just scarf his lunch down. But anytime Patrick looks at him with his too big eyes and warm smile, David can’t seem to do anything else but whatever Patrick wants.</p><p class="p1">“Mhm, yup,” David says dropping his sandwich and wiping his hands with a napkin and following him out.</p><p class="p1">Patrick climbs the ladder with a duster, David holding onto the base securely and immediately regrets his decision to help because Patrick’s ass is now directly in front of his face and he both wants to be swallowed up by the ground and drop to his knees in thanks because dammit Patrick has a <em>really </em>nice butt.</p><p class="p1">It’s bad enough that Patrick flaunts through the store, the café and the town in his tight jeans and blue button ups with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows showing off his impressive forearms and the top two buttons always unbuttoned showing a delicious patch of pale skin. But to have the ass that he’s secretly been pining after for the last 5 months is just cruel. And it’s just <em>infuriating</em> that Patrick doesn’t seem to notice just what he’s doing to David.</p><p class="p1">When Patrick came out to him and Stevie last month, he took it into stride, being the supportive friend in whatever way Patrick needed him to be in order to be comfortable in his journey. Sure his crush for Patrick only grew as each day went on, but David didn’t want to impose on Patrick’s self discovery. And Patrick never seemed to show any interest in David so the pining just continued on.</p><p class="p1">He’s shimmying his hips in a frankly obscene way as he dusts the shelf, sticking his butt out towards David’s face more and David has to bite his lip to keep down the whimper that threatens to burst out of him.</p><p class="p1">“There’s just one spot that I can’t reach,” Patrick says from above him. “I think my shirt is too tight.”</p><p class="p1"><em>Everything about you is tight</em>, David thinks to himself pathetically. “It’s fine, as long as you get most of it-”</p><p class="p1">But David is unable to finish his sentence because Patrick begins to <em>unbutton his fucking shirt</em>, pulling it off and throwing it down onto one of the center tables below.</p><p class="p1">“That’s better,” he says and David thinks, <em>Fucking hell I’m going to lose my shit.</em></p><p class="p1">Patrick reaches upwards, stretching his arm out and his shirt rides up his back, revealing more perfect skin and David’s mouth goes dry.</p><p class="p1">
  <em>This is it, this is how I go.</em>
</p><p class="p1">What feels like an eternity passes by, David’s eyes flickering between Patrick’s bare lower back and his ass when he hears Patrick say, “All done!”</p><p class="p1">David blinks quickly and quickly takes a step back as Patrick begins his descent.</p><p class="p1">“Whew! I was able to get it all,” he says proudly, his cheeks flushed and his white t-shirt stretched across his chest.</p><p class="p1">“Mhm,” David mumbles, his eyes fixated on said chest before quickly looking away. “I’m just going to finish my lunch now,” David says, his voice high and breathy and bolts to the back room.</p><p class="p1">\\\</p><p class="p1">When the last customer of the day leaves, David locks the door and turns their sign to closed, letting out a tired but happy sigh.</p><p class="p1">“We made a lot of sales today,” Patrick says from the counter as he begins the process of counting out the till.</p><p class="p1">“Mm, enough for that espresso machine?” David asks hopefully and Patrick chuckles at him.</p><p class="p1">“No, definitely not so you’ll just have to continue your business with Twyla,” Patrick replies with a twinkle in his eye. “But, why don’t we have dinner at the café tonight? To celebrate? My treat,” Patrick says and David’s tummy erupts with butterflies.</p><p class="p1">“Dinner sounds nice,” David says softly. “But I was supposed to get dinner with Stevie tonight. Mind if she joins us?”</p><p class="p1">“Oh, uh, yeah,” Patrick says clearing his throat. “Of course, the more the merrier! I’m just going to put this in the safe and then we can head on over.” Patrick retreats into the back room and David immediately texts Stevie.</p><p class="p1"><strong><em>What</em></strong>, she replies.</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Um, excuse you. I was just texting to confirm our dinner plans tonight like the good friend that I am.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <em>Yeah, yeah, I’m finishing up at the motel so I’ll head over in 5 mins.</em> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Great, I invited Patrick, I hope you don’t mind.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <em>Oooooo Patrick.</em> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Okay, none of that. I’m being a nice friend. He asked to go to the café first and I invited him to join us.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <em>Wait, Patrick asked you to dinner?</em> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Um, yes?</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <em>David, he was asking you out on a date.</em> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>OKAY. NOPE.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <em>You’re so fucking stupid. There’s no way I’m coming now. </em> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>STEVIE NO. He doesn’t like me like that. We’re platonic business partners/friends</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <em>Yeah, platonically checking each other’s asses out.</em> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Oh my God.</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <em>If you’re so convinced he doesn’t like you, why don’t you ask him who his type is. </em> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>That is not appropriate dinner conversation. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <em>And when you realize that you two are very much into each other, I expect 3 bottles of wine. </em> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>You’re a menace. </em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <strong> <em>Go get ‘em tiger.</em> </strong>
</p><p class="p1">David shoves his phone into his pocket with frustration when Patrick comes back out. “Ready to go?”</p><p class="p1">“Yes,” David says putting the broom away, fully aware that he got literally no sweeping done.</p><p class="p1">“Stevie’s going to meet us there?” Patrick asks, holding the door open for David.</p><p class="p1">“Nope, change of plans. She has some stuff to do at the motel, so it’s just you and me,” David sighs out.</p><p class="p1">“Oh, okay that’s good,” Patrick says awkwardly and David looks at Patrick curiously. He looks flustered and his cheeks are red.</p><p class="p1"><em>I mean, it’s cold out,</em> David thinks to himself and pushes it to the back of his mind as they walk across the street to the café.</p><p class="p1">\\\</p><p class="p1">“So,” David says after Twyla walks away with their order. “How are you?”</p><p class="p1">Patrick laughs, something warm pooling in David’s stomach at the sound. “Fine thank you, and you?”</p><p class="p1">David hums and picks at the table top. “Oh you know, just absurdly tired from running our very successful store.”</p><p class="p1">“Yes, I can tell that you’re just absolutely fatigued,” Patrick says with a chuckle.</p><p class="p1">David hums. “It’s just so exhausting being this wildly successful,” he says with a grin.</p><p class="p1">“And that warrants a toast,” Patrick says lifting his glass of water. “Here’s to wild success.”</p><p class="p1">David also lifts his glass taking a sip of water and watching Patrick drink his, admiring the long line of his throat when someone suddenly pushes their way into his side of the booth.</p><p class="p1">“Good evening gentlemen,” Stevie says with a smirk and David looks at her in shock.</p><p class="p1">“Um, what are you doing here?” David asks annoyed and Stevie shrugs her shoulders.</p><p class="p1">“I’m just popping in to pick up my dinner and I saw you two and thought I should join,” she says with a sly grin and David hates her.</p><p class="p1">“Everything okay at the motel? David said you were too busy to join us here tonight,” Patrick asks concerned.</p><p class="p1">“Yeah, just some stuff I have to handle which is why I’m not staying long. But my order isn’t ready yet so why not have a chat while I wait,” she says with a saccharine smile and David narrows his eyes at her. “So, Patrick, any new guys in your life?”</p><p class="p1">Patrick chokes mid sip, reaching for a napkin as he coughs. “Huh?”</p><p class="p1">“You know, anything new in the dating scene?” she asks wagging her eyebrows and David could murder her.</p><p class="p1">“Uh, n-no, I’m not, I’m not dating, right now,” Patrick sputters out.</p><p class="p1">“Hm, well maybe I can help you out. What’s your ideal type?” She asks and David wants to ram his head through the table.</p><p class="p1">“Oh, I, I don’t really know, I haven’t thought about that,” Patrick says awkwardly.</p><p class="p1">“You know I recently found out that I’m allergic to pitted fruits,” David says trying desperately to change the topic.</p><p class="p1">“You have to have <em>some</em> idea. Come on, if you can conjure up the perfect guy, what would he look like?” Stevie pushes and David wonders if it’s possible to just die right there.</p><p class="p1">“Well,” Patrick says clearing his throat. “I like men with dark hair.”</p><p class="p1">“Okay, that’s a start, what else?”</p><p class="p1">“You know one time Alexis dyed her hair black in order to escape a drug lord’s cavern in the Greek island of Chios when she was 23,” David says but Stevie ignores him and says, “What about like style? What kind of style do you like?”</p><p class="p1">“Well, I don’t necessarily have a preference of what someone wears,” Patrick says. “I admire someone who wears what they want and how they choose to express themselves.”</p><p class="p1">“But like say, do you like sweaters?” Stevie asks sweetly and David throws his hands up in the air. “Okay, that’s enough out of you-” David says but is cut off by Patrick saying, “Yes.”</p><p class="p1">Everyone at the table pauses and David turns to look at Patrick. He looks scared but determined and says, “Yes, I like sweaters.”</p><p class="p1">There’s a deafening silence between the 3 of them until Stevie says, “Oh look, I think Twyla is ready with my order. Goodnight,” and slips out of the booth as David blinks at Patrick.</p><p class="p1">“Uh,” David says, unable to form words.</p><p class="p1">Patrick’s face flushes bright red and looks away, biting his bottom lip.</p><p class="p1">David clears his throat and looks down at his hands, the weight of this moment heavy on his shoulders.</p><p class="p1">Could it, could it be him?</p><p class="p1">“Listen David,” Patrick says from across the table. “I didn’t mean to make things weird-”</p><p class="p1">“I like spreadsheets,” David blurts out, clapping a hand over his mouth, his eyes wide with shock.</p><p class="p1">Patrick also looks at him with surprise. “Huh?”</p><p class="p1">“Well, I don’t literally like spreadsheets, but I like someone who makes them. Like really well made and organized spreadsheets,” David amends.</p><p class="p1">“Huh,” Patrick repeats, but softer and with a gentle look on his face.</p><p class="p1">“I also like someone who drinks a lot of tea,” David says. “Well to be more specific, I like someone who drinks a lot of tea because that means they have to come here all the time to get another cup and while they’re here they also get me coffee and a pastry which happens often now that I think about it,” David says, something inside of him unfurling.</p><p class="p1">Patrick smiles at him, wide and honest and David thinks he’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen.</p><p class="p1">“I also like someone who dusts the top shelf because they know I’m afraid of heights. Although it’s been nearly impossible to concentrate on anything with them sticking their very nice butt in my face,” David says and Patrick laughs loudly.</p><p class="p1">“And I like someone who didn’t realize I was doing that on purpose hoping that they do notice my butt,” Patrick replies and David’s eyes nearly burst out of their sockets. “<em>What?!”</em></p><p class="p1">“David, you can’t honestly tell me that you haven’t noticed that everything I do is to get your attention?” Patrick asks with a grin and David feels, God he doesn’t know what he feels.</p><p class="p1">“How am I supposed to know that?!” He asks wildly.</p><p class="p1">“David, I have been trying to make a pass at you for the last 5 months,” Patrick says and David nearly falls to the floor.</p><p class="p1">“What the actual <em>fuck</em>?” David asks and Patrick just continues to laugh.</p><p class="p1">“I compliment your outfit every morning, I always get you your coffee, I went into business with you after only 2 weeks of knowing you!”</p><p class="p1">“Well, in my defense I’ve also been trying to make a pass at you and you haven’t said anything either!”</p><p class="p1">“What?” Patrick asks, still laughing but with confusion now.</p><p class="p1">“I bought you those really nice pens from Elmdale when you said you liked them when we visited Heather’s farm that one time, I got you that file organizer thing when yours broke, I went to one of your baseball games, Patrick! Do I look like the type of person to enjoy <em>sports</em>?!”</p><p class="p1">Patrick is laughing rather maniacally now, tears in his eyes and David can’t help but laugh with him.</p><p class="p1">“So you’re saying, you and I could have been together for 5 months now?” Patrick asks and David shrugs his shoulders.</p><p class="p1">“Better late than never,” he says and Patrick’s eyes go soft and fond and reaches a hand across the table, David slipping his into it and Patrick squeezes.</p><p class="p1">“Okay boys, here are your burgers and mozzarella sticks,” Twyla says putting their plates down. “Anything else you guys need?”</p><p class="p1">“No, we’re good Twyla,” Patrick says, rubbing his thumb across David’s knuckles.</p><p class="p1">“Enjoy,” she says with a wink and David blushes.</p><p class="p1">“So, I guess our attempts at smooth and passive flirtation massively backfired,” Patrick says.</p><p class="p1">“Looks like it,” David says, his smile smooshed into his cheek. “And it’s annoying that Stevie is the one who figured it out before us. I owe her 3 bottles of wine,” David says with a sigh.</p><p class="p1">“That you will be paying for?” Patrick says teasingly, nudging his foot against David’s and he rolls his eyes. “Yes, I will be paying for them.”</p><p class="p1">“Good,” Patrick says and lifts a mozzarella stick. “Here’s to passive flirting that got us there eventually.”</p><p class="p1">David smiles and lifts one up too, knocking it against Patrick’s.</p><p class="p1">They munch on the freezer burnt fried pieces of cheese with dopey smiles on their faces when David quickly adds, “But just so we’re clear, we’re going to go make out in your car after dinner right?”</p><p class="p1">“Yes.”</p><p class="p1">“Okay, just making sure.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading!</p><p>https://maybewecandreamalittle.tumblr.com/</p></blockquote></div></div>
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